Tension-equalizing device.



No. 634,703. Patented oet. lo; |899.

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TENSION EUUALIZING DEVICE.

(Application med-.mue 9, lsa.)

(No ladet) UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM I. SHAW, OEST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

TENSION-EQUALIZI'NG DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 634,703, dated October 10, 1899.

Original application iiled April 13, 1899, Serial No.

My invention relates to means for transmitting motion from a car-axle to a fan or.

motor on the car, the present application being a division of an application for patent for a refrigerator-car, Serial No. 712,884, iled by me April 13, 1899.

.It consists principally in a shaft intermediate the axle and the motor and l mounted automatically to accommodate its position to the varying tension on the driving-belts.

It also consists in the arrangements and combinationsof parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, which form part of this invention and in which like symbols refer to like parts wh crever they occur, Figure 1 is a side View of my device as applied to a car. Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is a detail Section of a car-axle on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2, showing the split pulley in elevation. Fig; 4 is a horizontal section of the same on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 isa sectional detail of the journal-box frame on the line 5 5 of Fig. 2, showing aportion of the tension-equalizing shaft and its journalbox; and Figs. 6 and '7 are detail views of the hooked linksor cleats for holding the two parts of the split pulley together.

The motor 1 to be driven is located on the car 2, and its shaft 3 is connected by belting 4, either directlyy or through intermediate connecting devices, to a horizontal ,tension-eqn alizing shaft 5, Inovably mounted on the under side of the car, and this tension-equalizing shaft is connected by belting 18 to the caraxle 6. rEhe car-axle 6 is provided with split pulleys 7, adapted to set close against the faces of the two wheels 8. For this reason the parts of said pulleys are countersunk in the end designed to rest against the wheel, and hooked straps 9 or links are fitted therein lto hold said parts together. The opposite ends of said split parts are provided with pro- 712,884. Divided and this application filed June 9, 1899. Serial No. 719,930. (No model.) I

jecting flanges 10, through which bolts 11 eX- tend to clamp said. parts firmly together on the car-axle. -Any suitable belt-pulleys 12 may be used on the tension-equaliziug shaft and the counter-shaft 16.

. The journal-boxes 13 of the tension-equalizing shaft are not xed, but are arranged to slide in slotted frames or channel-bars 14, secured to the under side of the car sill or body, the corners of said journal-boxesbeing rounded oli to prevent them bindingin the frames.

V The frame for each journal-box is curved in a practically circular arc whose center is the middle of the equalizing-shaft. Each frame is provided with a compression-spring l5, arranged to bear at its respective ends against the journal-box and the end of the frame, whereby a proper degree of tension is maintained on the drivin g-belts connecting the'caraxle and the tension-equalizing shaft.. When the car rounds a curve, however, and the positiou of the axle relative to the body changes, the springs automatically yield to relieve the beltlS from excessive tension or expand to take up the slack of the belt, according as the change of position may require.

The belts 1S, hereinbefore mentioned, are located under the car-body and connect the car-axle and tension-equaliziugshaft. On accountl of their position there is danger of loose sticks and stones getting between a belt "and its pulley, and thus cutting and subject- For this and tough as practicable.

The counter-shaft 16, to which the tensionequalizing shaft is connected, is located above it in a line practically perpendicular to the direction of motion of the tension-equalizing shaft. For this reason the tension-equalizin g shaft may have a considerable range of movement without materially changing the distance between it and the counter-shaft. As

this distance does vary slightly, however, it

IOO

ings and may be coupled up to any kind of a fan or motor in any suitable manner. Thus by reason of the automatic aotion of the tension-equalizing bar in accommodating itself to the varying positions of the oar-axle and its manner of connect-ion to the counter-shaft there is no interruption or interference with the continuous transmission of motion from the canaille to the motor.

What I olaim is- 1. Aoar havingeurved frames mounted under the body thereof, journal-bearings Inovably mounted in said frames, and springs bearing against said bearings, a tensionequalizing shaft in said bearings, pulleys on said shaft anden the ear-axle and a belt oonneoting. them, and a motor in said oar and means for transmitting motion from said tensiou-equalizing shaft thereto, substantially as described.

2. A oar having curved frames mounted on Vthe under side thereof, spring-pressed journal-bearings movably mounted in said frames, a horizontal tension-equalizing shaft in said journal-bearings, a counter-shaft above said tension-equalizing shaft in a line substantially perpendicular to the direction of motion of said tension equalizing shaft, pulleys on Ysaid shafts and belts on said pulleys, whereby 

